Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
Employees collaborate
passionately to accomplish exceptional outcomes with improved organizational
culture, and they are the heart of any productive and successful firm (Gignac
& Palmer, 2011). According to Mulwa (2008), 'Abraham Maslow's theory
of needs is especially constructed on the premise that human conduct is
essentially motivated by the straightforward desire to fulfill certain human
wants in society.' The idea places the greatest focus on how requirements
might change with the passage of time and environmental factors (McGregor,
2017). According to Iguisi (2009), 'Maslow's theory illustrates the
employee's motivation through the stimulus and reinforces the action.'
Figure 1.0 : Maslow’s
Hierarchy of Needs
Maslow developed a five-stage theory that categorizes individual needs into separate groups and prioritizes the accomplishment of those requirements, as seen in the illustration below figure 1.0, which is based on the fundamental physical, biological, social, and psychological needs of humans (Jerome, 2013).
(Source : Jerome, 2013)
Implications of Maslow’s
Hierarchy Theory of Needs in Practice
I work in a diversified
conglomerate organization that is in diverse industry sectors like travel & tourism, hospitality, plantations, maritime & logistics and garments.
· Physiological Needs: - The employee is under a lot of stress, which can lead to a lack of commitment and satisfaction with the job (Saleem & Gopinath, 2015; Kuzey, 2018).
E.g:- The organization has no comfortable working
environment, no expected rewards (worth salary), and does not provide any rest time to
reduce employee stress. However, the organization provides essential
facilities free of charge (e.g;- a tea making facility, water dispensers).
· Safety Needs: - The organization must follow labor rules and regulations in order to motivate employees and make people feel safe while performing duties (Kaur, 2013). The sense of safety keeps motivated employees performing best in the organization (Faye, K & Long, Y 2014).
E.g:- In the organization, there is an emphasis on health and safety in the working environment, and the employees are in a safe zone. (e.g., provide worker's compensation, notify health and safety guidelines, and have fire extinguishers on the floor.)
· Social Needs: - Managers should be aware of the employees' work life balance and provide freedom and flexibility to boost motivation (Faye et al, 2014). According to Mulwa (2008), stated that 'people tend to worry about belonging to the social group whether employee can love and be loved in the society when feel reasonably safe'.
E.g:- The
organization already allows employees to work from home, so achieving the
social needs can be tricky. The organization could use communication tools like
Microsoft Teams, Skype, or Zoom to socialize and
collaborate with employees and other stakeholders. Further, the organization
should perform sports events, annual trips, and outbound training to enhance
the social skills of employees.
· Esteem Needs: - When people meet the social needs, people focus on matters of reputation, self-esteem, prestige, self-worth, self-respect, and status, among others, which gives strong confidence to participate in activities and improve living conditions in various communities (Onah, 2015).
E.g:- The organization should have a transparent performance appraisal system, recognize and award employees, and provide overseas training and tours. Further, the company should conduct a social recognition program to celebrate employees’ achievements, which will increase employee's self-confidence and motivation.
· Self-Actualization: According to Onah (2015), 'people require self-actualization to enable them to be innovative in society’
E.g:- for instance, the business should hold frequent HR and manager talent planning meetings, engage staff in career discussions, and provide fast-track management programs with the goal of promoting self-actualization.
In a global context, for example, Google offers free gourmet food in its cafeteria, a nutritionist, a fitness center, and yoga classes (Google perks, 2007). Further, the organization offers subsidies for massages, nap pods, video games, football, and ping pong games to motivate employees while they work (Choudhary, 2014).
All Toyota employees are satisfied with their lower-level needs, are well paid by the company, have secure jobs, and work in a safe environment (Liker, 2004). In the organization, there are no private parking facilities, private cafeterias for managers, private offices, or private secretaries, and all staff should wear the company uniform, be called by the employee’s first name, and have access to childcare and recreational facilities (Besser, 1995).
Mother Teresa thought
that to achieve self-actualization, one must attend to one's basic needs and
have consent to be in one's most private spaces (McLeod, 2014).
When a human is fulfilled
with one need, a new one will always arise, according to MacGregor (2003). Even
if a person meets all of the aforementioned wants, life will still be
unsatisfying to them (Adiele & Abraham, 2013).
References
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✔.Liker, J 2004, 'The Toyota Way: 14, Management Principles from the World’s Greatest Manufacturer, Madison, Wisconsin, USA: McGraw-Hill'.
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